Steve Stricker, Sean O’Hair take QBE Shootout lead

What do you get after the chalk at Quail Hollow and the eraser that was TPC Sawgrass? It’s a clean slate, of course. That’s precisely how Trinity Forest in Dallas debuts as host of the AT&T Byron Nelson. As for how that translates into fantasy scoring, go into the tournament with an open mind. The most curious element concerns driving accuracy. With no rough between the native buffalo grass that frames most holes, percentages for fairways hit could be insanely high. Since PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO weighs driving over other components, fantasy scoring should follow suit, at least to a degree. Thus, avoiding zeroes on the weekend will be more important than usual. Lean first on reliable choices to make the cut, and then those who might pin the needle off the tee. With zero competitive course history, fantasy front-runners should be holding their breath. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the AT&T Byron Nelson (in alphabetical order): Billy Horschel Beau Hossler Marc Leishman Adam Scott Jordan Spieth Jimmy Walker You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Branden Grace; Martin Laird; Keith Mitchell; Grayson Murray; Ryan Palmer Driving: Charles Howell III; Russell Knox; Martin Laird; Keith Mitchell; Ryan Palmer Approach: Russell Knox; Matt Kuchar; Martin Laird; Ryan Palmer; Scott Piercy; Johnson Wagner Short: Branden Grace; Matt Kuchar; Martin Laird; Daniel Summerhays; Johnson Wagner Power Rankings Wild Card Sergio Garcia … Well, chalk one up for the skeptics of the Nappy Factor. (Understand that it was never advertised as being foolproof.) Certainly, we can’t rule out that the experience of being a first-time father at the age of 38 with a decorated career is greater than, say, a younger up-and-comer in a similar position who is looking to establish himself (e.g. Andrew Landry). So, as the Spaniard makes just his ninth start of the season, he presents as a contrarian piece on a new course that resembles a links-style test. In other words, class is permanent, just not necessarily in the short-term. Draws Joaquin Niemann … The 19-year-old from Chile was the last cut from the Power Rankings, which says something given his nascence. We should never forget his 67-67 finish to place sixth in his play-for-pay debut at the Valero Texas Open. His DFS value will rise incrementally, so invest freely and watch what happens. Kevin Tway … He’s cashed in 13 of 19 starts this season but hasn’t connected for a top 25. That’s hard to do and the drought won’t last. He has the makeup to execute admirably in the wind – a T28 at Corales in March is a season-best-tying finish – he’s T16 on TOUR in par-5 scoring and his DFS value should be reasonable. Grayson Murray (all) Scott Piercy (all) Rory Sabbatini (DFS) Fades Hideki Matsuyama … When a talent of his ilk scuffles, the leash is long. He’s earned that benefit of the doubt. However, since returning from the injury to his wrist, a solo 19th at the Masters is his only notable result. The rub is that that’s hardly “notable” for him. Now coming off a missed cut at THE PLAYERS, just his second MC in 15 months. Brandt Snedeker … Unfortunately, he’s rapidly drifted into the bin populated only by long-term values. The positive spin is that he could be on sale for full-season salary gamers in 2018-19 because he’s fully exempt through next season, but that this narrative has emerged at all is the overlying concern. Aaron Wise … This isn’t a knock inasmuch as it’s a “let’s see that again.” His co-runner-up finish at Quail Hollow two weeks ago cemented his card for next season, but it’s his only top 10 as a rookie in 17 starts. It also was his first top 30 in eight starts. There are larger question marks on the board at Trinity Forest, including the course itself, but the 21-year-old presents as a complementary option at best and not universally by format. Harris English Bill Haas J.B. Holmes Anirban Lahiri Kevin Na Returning to Competition Steve Marino … Walked off Quail Hollow during his second round of the Wells Fargo Championship. An explanation wasn’t released. He’s 1-for-3 with a T68 at the Valero Texas Open in his return to the PGA TOUR. Still has seven starts remaining on his Major Medical Extension, but hasn’t sustained the same form with which he resumed competition on the Web.com Tour earlier this year. David Berganio, Jr. … Due to ongoing issues with his back, the 49-year-old hasn’t pegged it on the PGA TOUR since 2009, but he still has seven starts to burn via a medical extension in the reshuffle category. He’s 0-for-2 on the Web.com Tour in 2018. Arguably best known among long-time observers as the playoff victim to Phil Mickelson in the 2002 CareerBuilder Challenge. Bob Estes … Withdrew after just one round of the Wells Fargo Championship due to allergies, which is nothing new to the 52-year-old. He’s scheduled to compete in this week’s Regions Tradition on the PGA TOUR Champions. Thanks to a new provision affecting the 50-and-older crowd, he won’t be losing a start on his Major Medical Extension on the PGA TOUR even though he’d have cracked the field at the AT&T Byron Nelson on merit because the Regions Tradition is a major. So, he’ll still have three starts on the medical when he reappears on the main circuit. Notable WDs Chesson Hadley … Collected his eighth six-figure paycheck of the season with a T11 at THE PLAYERS and sits 17th in the FedExCup standings. He’s a gold mine, not to mention a terrific example of grit and self-belief. Brice Garnett … He was due for rest. His breakthrough victory at Corales yielded an exemption into THE PLAYERS, which was his fifth consecutive start. Everything henceforth is gravy for full-season investors. Congratulations. Chez Reavie … It’s been over three months now since he recorded a top 25 on his own ball, but an electric start to the season has him positioned at 23rd in FedExCup points, so he can afford to be choosy. Steve Stricker … Acknowledged on the weekend at THE PLAYERS (where he finished T23) that he’d be a last-minute decision to stick with this commitment or return to the PGA TOUR Champions for the Regions Tradition – the first of five majors on that circuit. At second in Schwab Cup earnings, you can understand his motivation, but his tug of war between tours is going to be an ongoing “nice problem to have.” Trey Mullinax … You know we’re in the heart of the season when a golfer with conditional status opts out of any tournament. That means that playing time is no longer a concern. At 71st in the FedExCup standings, regaining fully exempt status for next season isn’t, either. Whee Kim … After a strong fall to secure his job for 2018-19, he’s banked only 25 FedExCup points in his last 14 starts, making it all but impossible to endorse in any format when he does lace it up. Power Rankings Recap – THE PLAYERS Championship Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Jason Day T5 2 Justin Thomas T11 3 Rickie Fowler MC 4 Rory McIlroy MC 5 Henrik Stenson T23 6 Zach Johnson T75/MDF 7 Patrick Reed T41 8 Webb Simpson Win 9 Justin Rose T23 10 Ian Poulter T11 11 Francesco Molinari MC 12 Dustin Johnson T17 13 Kyle Stanley MC 14 Jordan Spieth T41 15 Louis Oosthuizen MC 16 Sergio Garcia 70th 17 Chesson Hadley T11 18 Adam Hadwin T57 19 Jon Rahm T63 20 Hideki Matsuyama MC Wild Card Phil Mickelson MC Sleepers Recap – THE PLAYERS Championship Golfer Result Branden Grace T46 Russell Henley MC Chris Kirk T46 Russell Knox MC Luke List MC Grayson Murray T30 Rory Sabbatini T30 Cameron Smith MC Steve Stricker T23 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR May 15 … none May 16 … Bo Van Pelt (43); Derek Ernst (28) May 17 … Jason Gore (44); Søren Kjeldsen (43); Hunter Mahan (36); Andrew Yun (27) May 18 … none May 19 … K.J. Choi (48) May 20 … Branden Grace (30) May 21 … Stewart Cink (45); Gary Woodland (34); John Huh (28)

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The first word was “sadness.” Minutes after signing his scorecard, Collin Morikawa was blunt in assessing his final round at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, in what he described as the most disappointing experience of his career. Morikawa began Sunday at the Plantation Course at Kapalua six strokes clear of the field at the PGA TOUR’s first event of 2023. He made three birdies in his first six holes Sunday, and he was bogey-free for the event’s first 67 holes. He looked unflappable. Until he was undone by three consecutive bogeys on Nos. 14-16, missing par putts of 10, 8 and 7 feet respectively. Morikawa carded a final-round, 1-under 72 to finish solo second at 25-under total, two short of Jon Rahm, who capitalized on Morikawa’s mishaps with a final-round, 10-under 63 that included a 5-under stretch on Nos. 12-15 Sunday. “It sucks,” Morikawa said. “You work so hard and you give yourself these opportunities, and just bad timing on bad shots, and kind of added up really quickly. Don’t know what I’m going to learn this week, but it doesn’t seem like it was that far off. It really wasn’t. “Yeah, it sucks.” Morikawa hasn’t won on TOUR since The Open in July 2021; this marks his third runner-up finish since then. He arrived at serene Kapalua inspired by recent work with new putting coach Stephen Sweeney, and the stats backed it up, as he averaged nearly two strokes gained on the greens across the first three rounds. Sunday was a different story, though, as Morikawa missed birdie putts of 3 and 7 feet on the fifth and ninth holes respectively. His lead was in the five- to seven-stroke range for most of the day, but he couldn’t quite push the margin to the point of insurmountable. The bogeys came, and Rahm took advantage. The first bogey was perhaps the most agonizing. After finding a front greenside bunker at the 284-yard, par-4 14th hole, Morikawa missed the green long on his second shot. He chipped to 10 feet and could not convert the par putt. That’s the point when he started to feel like he might be losing control of the situation, he said. “I’ve been in that bunker; it’s not like it’s an impossible bunker shot,” Morikawa said. “Normally 10 out of 10 times, you’re putting it to within 15 feet at worst. I caught it thin. “Everything felt fine. You make a bogey there on 14, you’re like, ‘OK, you’ve got 15, you’ve got 18, we’re still in it, we’re still right there. No problem. “Then 15, just pushed the 5-wood just enough and knew it was going to roll down. Practiced that chip a bunch too, and obviously not enough.” Despite the Sunday stumble, Morikawa remains upbeat about the spring ahead. He’ll stay in Hawaii for a quick vacation, then return to the TOUR for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines later this month. He plans to play the WM Phoenix Open and The Genesis Invitational, as well. It wasn’t the preferred result this time, but each week in contention represents a valuable learning experience. Morikawa sees better days – and additions to his five TOUR titles – just around the corner. “I can finally say it’s not back to the drawing board after this week,” Morikawa said. “It’s really just figure out the small little things. My game hasn’t felt like that in a very long time; I saw little specs of it throughout the fall season and was never able to put four rounds together. We’re still getting there, but for me, I know there’s still a lot of work to do. Obviously it shows today, but I’m willing to put in the work. “I think at this point now, it’s just kind of going to hopefully just push me more and more to really figure out what it’s going to take for 72 holes.”

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Round 2 of the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP takes place from Accordia Golf Narashino CC on Friday. Brendan Steele leads by one after a first-round 64. Tee times Leaderboard HOW TO FOLLOW: Television: Wednesday (into Thursday)-Thursday (into Friday): 11 p.m.-3 a.m. ET (Golf Channel). Friday (into Saturday), 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Saturday (into Sunday): 11 p.m.-3 a.m. MUST READS Brendan Steele leads by one at ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP Five Things about the course Matsuyama’s incredibly impressive stats

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